Altarin'Dakor Galaxy
The Altarin'Dakor galaxy is not a very safe place to live. Virtually all of it is under the control of the AD. While it has as wide a variety of races and worlds as ours does, it is slightly smaller in overall area. Few specifics are known about the different regions of the AD galaxy, and we do not know if it is divided into areas like ours (The Core, the Colonies, the Inner and Outer Rims, Wild Space, the Unknown Regions, etc.) However, it seems likely that the AD galaxy is divided into regions in a single method: according to Warlord territory. Each Shok'Thola, or Altarin'Dakor Warlord, has a certain holding of space within the AD galaxy. Some have more territory than others, depending on military success or other factors. 'Governor' Warlords generally prefer governing larger territories to the rigors of military combat, and thus contain more space. Other Warlords hold a larger fleet but have a smaller territory. Some have little of either, devoting their time instead to other mysterious purposes. This does not alway hold true, however. Another factor that can influence territory is a Warlord's past military victories. Over the past 25,000 years that the Altarin'Dakor have occupied their home, the number of Warlords has fallen at least by half compared to the number who arrived. Usually a defeated Warlord's territory will fall to the conquering Warlord, and sometimes portions of their fleet will follow as well. And, despite their common goal in the Return, the Warlords are far from harmonious. Border skirishes are frequent and often violent, and mini-wars are not uncommon among the different Warlords. Still, all-out war is usually avoided, as each of the Warlords knows the general strength of the other, and in most cases the result can be predetermined. The Warlord Nimrod is the most renowned military genius of all the Altarin'Dakor, and his massive territory - dwarfing that of any other Warlord - is a testament to his immense success. The different areas of the AD galaxy vary widely, often depending on the disposition or preference of the Warlord. While the Warlords don't usually take direct hands in managing their governments, their tastes and culture (and level of mental stability) can have an effect. This can also effect which races are deemed useful in a certain Warlord's territory. Nimrod holds many worlds with a wide variety of styles and levels of development, but his obsession with technology creates a general desire for advancement in his territory. Alien Warlords can have planets suited for a completely different physiology than that of humans. And Velius, who is known to kill his subordinates routinely, has a territory that is very unstable and degraded. In general, the style of architecture and cultural designs are as varied as those in our galaxy, albeit with a higher level of technology. It is not uncommon for sprawling world-cities covered with pyramid-like structures or tall skyscrapers, large underground environments, floating cities that rest above the clouds, and even specially designed pleasure worlds where officers vacation as rewards for service and further encouragement. The AD are generally a very fierce group, with a large preference for military power and combat, and the size and composition of their fleets reflect this. Finally, it should be noted that the Altarin'Dakor galaxy is probably not within close proximity to ours. Though they built the Galactic Gate at the edge of our galaxy, and it connects with its counterpart in the AD galaxy, the nature of the gate is not merely point-to-point transfer. The Altarin'Dakor galaxy could be on the other side of the universe. Still, it is most likely somewhere inside our local supercluster.